Billboard



BILLBOARD Filed March 20, 1937 Egll INVENTOR ATTORNEY @FFEQE BILLBOARD Joe R. Neil, Sacramento, Calif.

Application March 20,

Claims.

This invention relates generally to the structure of a billboard and in particular relates to, and it is my principal object to provide, a billboard which is arranged to withstand wind of 5 relatively high velocity and without the use of costly and heavy supporting frames.

There are many locations, particularly atop buildings, where a billboard could be mounted for efiective advertising but due to occasional high velocity winds, it has been impractical to use such locations unless complex supporting frames were used, and which in many instances would be too heavy and costly.

With my improved billboard, however, one of relatively large surface area may be erected in a windy location, as on a building, and supported by less than the usual frame structure without danger of collapse during wind storms.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as 25 will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved 3O billboard structure.

Figure 2 is a foreshortened, fragmentary rear elevation of the billboard.

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring noW more particularly to the charac- 35 ters of reference on the drawing, the billboard comprises a rectangular main frame including top and bottom horizontal frame members I and 2 respectively mounted in connection with end members 3 which extend below the bottom mem- 40 ber 2 and serve as supporting legs. Usual bracing frames Q hold the main frame in vertical position.

The face or advertising area of the billboard is formed by a plurality of separate rectangular 45 sections or panels 5 normally disposed in edge to edge relation within the area defined by the main frame. These panels 5 are of such size that they may be disposed in place in clearance 1 relation to each other as Well as to the main 50 frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Each panel is pivotally mounted on the main frame by means of a vertical shaft 6 secured to the back of the panel by means of upper and lower clamps l; the shaft being laterally offset 55 from the central vertical axis of the panel for 1937, Serial No. 132,171

the purpose hereinafter set forth. The shaft 6 on each panel projects beyond the panel at both ends and is rotatably mounted in journal boxes 8 which are secured to the top and bottom frame members in vertical alinement. The bolt receiving slots of these journal boxes are elongated, as shown in Fig. 2, for slight lateral shifting of the boxes whereby to adjust the position of the corresponding panel when assembling the structure.

To normally maintain the panels 5 in edge to edge alinement, the following devices are employed; one being arranged in connection with the shaft between the lower edge of each panel and the bottom frame member and another between the upper edge of the panel and top frame member. As each device is a replica of the other, a description of one will suffice.

A cam 9 is fixed on the shaft 6 and projects radially in the space between the adjacent panel edge and frame member; the cam being disposed in a plane parallel to the vertical plane of the panel. The cam is provided at its outer end with a roller it. Spaced leaf springs H are rigidly mounted at one end on a block l2 secured to the adjacent frame member, the springs projecting toward the cam which frictionally engages therebetween. The springs are of a width less than the space between the panel and frame member and are disposed in the same horizontal plane as the cam. The block I2 is also arranged for lateral shifting so that the springs may be adjusted to correspond with the adjustment of shaft 6.

When constructed in the manner above described, the billboard is practically immune from wind damage. When a relatively high velocity wind arises, each panel will swing out of its normal position in opposition to the cam engaging springs to a position with the flat surface of the panel disposed at an obtuse angle to the direction of the Wind. This relieves the wind pressure on the surf-ace of each panel which would be very great if the panels were fixed and would probably result in serious damage to the billboard unless special precautions were taken as heretofore mentioned.

The tension of springs H is such that with an ordinary breeze or light wind, the panels will be retained in normal position and will only swing to a pressure relieving position when the wind reaches a predetermined velocity as, for example, 15-25 M. P. H. Of course, with winds of different velocity, the panels will swing from normal position varying degrees.

Upon cessation of a wind which has moved the panels to a pressure relieving position, the springs ll acting on cams 9 will return the panels to a normal alined position. If desired, a suitable spring detent 13 may be mounted between one frame member and the adjacent edge of each panel in order to prevent any tendency of the panels to flutter when in norm-a1 position.

When constructed in the manner herein described, a billboard may be erected in any available location without fear of wind damage and without increased costs for supporting frames, etc. Too, myimproved billboard is so constructed that when the panels are not in a wind pressure relieving position the advertising surface area of the billboard is not impaired.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

'1. A billboard comprising a frame, apanel, means pivoting the panel on the frame, said means being disposed to one side of the center of area of the panel and including a shaft projecting beyond one edge of the panel; a radial cam fixed on said projecting end of the shaft, and a pair of spaced leaf springs rigidly mounted at one end on the frame and engaging the cam therebetween at the other end. 7

2. A device as in claim 1 in which the cam is parallel to the adjacent edge of the panel.

3. A billboard comprising a frame, panel, a shaft, means securing the shaft against rotation on the panel to one side of the central area thereof, said shaft at both ends projecting beyond the panel, means journaling the shaft at both ends on the frame and means arranged in connection with said shaft to yieldably resist potential movement of the panehsaid last named means comprising a radial cam fixed on the shaft adjacent one end and a leaf spring mounted on the frame and engaging said cam and resisting movement thereof. 7

4. A device as in claim 3 in which the leaf spring is fixed at one end to the frame beyond the outer end of the cam, said spring projecting alongside the cam to a termination beyond the center of the shaft.

5. A device as in claim 3 including a, roller mounted on the outer end .of the cam and engaging the spring.

JOE R. NEIL. 

